Premier Doug Ford is ready to shove Ottawa out of the way to make progress in the Ring of Fire.
Fresh off last week’s provincial election win and armed with a strong majority, an emboldened Ford appeared at the PDAC mining show in Toronto, March 3, ready to pick a fight with the feds in order to expedite critical minerals production in the face of a looming trade war with the U.S.
Calling Ontario as being in a pandemic-like “survival mode,” Ford said he’s taking bold policy steps, backed by investments, to build a resilient economy and to use critical minerals production as leverage against the Trump administration’s expected tariffs on Canadian goods.
Though no mining is taking place in the Ring of Fire and road construction may be years away from starting, Ford contends “major progress” has been made with First Nations, business and labour over the last seven years to unlock the mineral potential in the James Bay region.
“But now we need to do more and act faster,” Ford said, to bolster the mining sector, which contributes $7.7 billion to Ontario’s GDP and employs 35,000.
With critical mineral mining playing a huge part in his economic strategy, Ford’s patience had plainly worn thin in his speech on the endless wait times for the start of development in the Far North.
He levelled blame at Ottawa, calling its impact assessment processes as “wrongheaded” and “redundant.”
“It’s over; they’re done,” said Ford, calling into question the future of any collaborative approach with the federal government.
“We cannot afford to add years and years of delays, massive cost, to critical mineral projects so that the federal government can waste time repeating and replicating assessments that Ontario has already done.
“Instead, we need the federal government to get out of the way so we can get these projects done.”
Ford didn’t specify what measures the province is prepared to use to override federal jurisdictional control on matters of Indigenous engagement or environmental responsibilities in areas like fisheries and water.
Development in the Ring of Fire has been stalled for decades due to apathy and inaction by both levels of government to achieve consent with First Nations, and its failure to invest in upfront community and industry infrastructure in the Far North.
Some provincial dollars are now flowing, but the federal government is still working at a glacial pace in its regional assessment process.
This week, advisors working for the communities closest to the proposed site of the first Ring of Fire mine said one stretch of the permanent road network might not ready to go until 2040.
“That’s what we’re up against. Those rules have to change,” said Ford.
“If we want to survive these tariffs … we need to ensure we get the federal government out of our way — no more duplication on assessments.”
With Marten Falls and Webequie First Nations being the provincially appointed Ring of Fire road proponents, Ford said they will press forward with building the 80-kilometre southern part of the road north of Aroland First Nation and Greenstone.
He did not place a start date on construction.
Tired of “dilly-dallying” for five to 10 years on major project approvals, Ford said the government is ready to table new policies to expand mining and critical mineral development in Ontario, including a previously announced one project-one permit approach.
On his agenda to create a more globally competitive business climate, the Ford government plans to designate areas where critical minerals are found or likely to be found, like the Ring of Fire, as “regions of strategic important for our economy and security.”
This would fast-track provincial approvals, especially for so-called “trusted” project proponents on early construction works, deliver certainty to timelines, and allow for First Nations to participate in the process.
As an incentive, Ford pledges to add $70 million to bolster the Aboriginal Participation Fund to offer skilled training opportunities to Indigenous people that will directly benefit mining projects.
Existing Indigenous loan guarantee programs would be tied into the $3-billion First Nation Opportunities Financing Program to encourage First Nation involvement in mining, resource development and energy projects. Scholarship opportunities are also in the offing to attract First Nation people to resource development careers.
The Ford government has been generous in supporting electric vehicle battery manufacturing plants, but has been noticeably AWOL in investments to mid-level processing companies in Northern Ontario, which are key to his made-in-Ontario electric vehicle manufacturing strategy.
A cobalt refinery company desperately needs government support to finish its processing plant in Temiskaming and a handful of major lithium players with processing plans for Thunder Bay and Red Rock have long been calling on Queen’s Park and Ottawa for support.
Ford said his government will step up to avoid these raw materials from being shipped overseas to be refined by establishing a $500-million Critical Minerals Processing Fund to support these companies and help attract private investment.
When asked in a media Q & A if Ford planned to cut short the First Nation-led road assessment process in order to expedite construction, the premier said only there will be a “sit down” with the impacted First Nations before deferring to Northern Development and Indigenous Affairs Minister Greg Rickford.
Rickford, who talked about building regional consensus among the communities, reiterated Ford’s talking point that the feds need to step aside and let the province work directly with First Nations to get more work done. He said there are success stories around Ontario where advances have been made with First Nations on mineral and forestry projects.
How this policy direction will be greeted by northern First Nations remains to be seen.
Ford’s bullish attitude on making progress in the Far North has drawn backlash from northern and Ontario First Nation leaders.Some Indigenous business leaders would like to see the consultation process in the James Bay region expanded to include more input from more outlying communities, while Ford wants to keep that engagement limited to a handful of communities in close proximity to the areas to be mined.
